If passed, the Retail Workers Bill of Rights, which would apply to formula retail stores with 11 or more outlets nationwide, would offer protections to 100,000 San Francisco workers, according to Michelle Lim, an organizer with Jobs with Justice, which helped develop the ordinance.

“Workers are not just living paycheck to paycheck, but hour to hour,” Mar said as he introduced the legislation in the Board of Supervisors meeting.

Many retail workers are subject to working hours that change every week, making it difficult to earn a stable wage and arrange for child care with an unpredictable schedule, Lim said.

At a news conference announcing the legislation, former Gap manager Frank Ladra described how his store required employees to be available for at least 28 hours per week but sometimes only employed them for 10.

“Each store slotted only certain full-time hours,” Ladra said.

The Retail Workers Bill of Rights would require businesses to pay employees for four hours of work during periods they were required to be on-call, or when shifts were cancelled with less than 24 hours notice.

The legislation would also require employers to offer additional hours to existing employees before hiring more part-time workers or using a temp agency.

Christy Price, a security officer with 10 years of employment at her company, said her hours have been cut in favor of younger workers. Price has nearly 20 years of experience in the security industry.